Concord UMC Music Notes
May 16th, 2018
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Last week I had the opportunity to be a substitute Kids Hope mentor. As an aside, if you have the opportunity to be a mentor it's definitely something that you should do. It's rewarding for the student, but probably more so for the mentors. Anyway, the young man I was spending time with loves to make paper airplanes. He asked me if I knew how to make paper airplanes. Well, of course! When I was his age, countless church bulletins were sacrificed in order to build up the Stallings Air Fleet. I started making my top-of-the-line model and he got excited. It was a design that he hadn't seen on YouTube. As my hands worked the folds and creases, it seemed they knew what to do even though I haven't made a paper airplane in years. When it was done and had made a successful, looping glide across the room, we set to work on making another one, then another, and another. It was a joyful time for each of us.
I think joy is one of those things that we crowd out of our lives that we somehow need to wedge back in. We tend to fill our time with work and productivity, but lose the instances of joy that make life fun. Joy forces us to drop the mask of self-control that we work so hard to present. There's a difference in pleasure and joy. I love to read, and reading gives me pleasure, but it doesn't always give me joy. Throwing a baseball back and forth with someone or making paper airplanes gives me pleasure AND joy, although neither of those activities makes me any smarter or productive. In
The Screwtape Letters, C. S. Lewis' fantasy about a compilation of letters from an experienced tempter advising a young demon how to tempt a fledgling Christian away from the faith, one of the warnings that the experienced tempter gives is to be cautious of tempting the "subject" into things that give him joy. Joy moves the contest onto "the Enemy's ground", meaning the area where God loves to dwell. In Lewis' view, God created joy, enjoys joy, and truly wants us to experience it in all its richness. When we experience joy, gratitude for God and God's creation isn't very far behind at all.
So I invite you to take some time and do those things that you like to do for no other reason than that they give you joy. Whatever it is, no matter how non-productive or silly, no matter how childish you think it is, make some room for joy. God will meet you there for a wonderful conversation.
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Chancel and Worship Choirs
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Chancel Choir - No rehearsal this week because of the children's choir and handbell concert. However, since we are singing on Sunday, we will need to meet a little early before Sunday's service. We will meet at 10:30 to go over Sunday's anthem.
Worship Choir - Thank you for quickly learning an anthem that was a little tougher than it first appeared. It sounded great and the congregation loved it. We will be celebrating Pentecost Sunday this week with an as-yet-to-be-determined anthem. I'll see you at 8:00.
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- This Sunday will be an important one! Not only will it be our final rehearsal before choir tour, but there will be a meeting beforehand for choir members and parents. I will be handing out a packing list and giving out as much information as I can without giving away the secret of where we're going. I can tell you that it's going to be a great tour, and one that you'll definitely remember. We'll meet at 3:30 in the choir room, then move into our rehearsal at 4:00.
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- Concord Bells - I hope you were as pleased as I was by last night's final concert rehearsal. I left thinking that we're in really good shape and that this is going to be a fun concert. Let's meet as close to 5:30 as we can on Wednesday night. We may not get to rehearse at exactly that time, but we need to be ready to go for when we get that window of time. We probably won't have time to go all the way through each piece, but we can at least remind ourselves of some of the trickier spots.
- Concord Bells - We'll be leaving for Nicholas Stigall's concert tomorrow night at 6:30. We'll be taking one of the church buses, so we're limited to 15 seats. If we fill up before you get there, you'll have to drive yourself. The concert is at Church St. UMC at 7:30.
- Concord Men's Ensemble - Yesterday was another "Wow!" Thanks so much to Don Cowan for an outstanding arrangement. The congregation just loved it. We will not rehearse this week because of the children's choirs and handbell concert. We will meet next Wednesday, May 23rd at our regular time to go over music that we'll be singing at NHC on June 3rd.
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Looking Ahead
Wednesday, May 16th
6:30 - The Big End-of-Year Combined Children's Choirs and Concord Bells Concert Extravaganza. There will be incredible music, adorable faces (the children will be adorable as well), and as always some surprises.
Sunday, May 20th
Confirmation Sunday
8:45 - Worship Choir - TBA
11:00 - Chancel Choir - "Where Shall My Wondering Soul Begin?"
3:30 - Youth Choir Tour Meeting in the choir room.
4:00 - Youth Choir rehearsal
Wednesday, May 23rd
5:30 - Concord Men's Ensemble
6:30 - Chancel Choir rehearsal
Sunday, May 27th
8:45 & 11:00 - Youth Choir - TBA
2:30 - Youth Choir departs for choir tour.
Wednesday, May 30th
No Rehearsals
Sunday, June 3rd
8:45 - Worship Choir - TBD
11:00 - Chancel Choir - "Psalm 23"
6:30 - Concord Men's Ensemble sings at NHC Farragut
Monday, June 4th
MOSAIC Music Camp begins
Wednesday, June 6th
6:30 - Chancel Choir rehearsal
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Prayer Concerns and Celebrations
- Catie Owens' birthday is Saturday, May 19th.
- Thanks to everyone for the warm birthday greetings, well-wishes, and cards. I've never been more blessed than to be with all of you.
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Mike Stallings
mike@concordumc.com
mikestallings@charter.net
(865) 966-6728 (o.)
(865) 719-3469 (c.)
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